2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC vs 2023 Ford Escape

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class presented a blend of new and old elements. The GLC 300 was redesigned, while the Coupe models carried over from the previous year, with new Coupes expected for the 2024 model year. The most noticeable change in the GLC 300 was its narrower taillights, but overall, it retained a similar look to the first-generation GLC from 2016. This continuity in design was not necessarily negative, as the GLC had led the small luxury SUV class for much of its production run, thanks to its classy and timeless styling.

Inside, the GLC received a significant makeover, aligning with newer Mercedes models. A large vertical infotainment touchscreen dominated the dashboard, complemented by a tablet-like instrument panel in front of the driver. The interior was modern and high-tech, featuring excellent materials and solid construction. Compared to rivals like the BMW X3, Audi Q5, and Lexus RX, the GLC's cockpit design was simpler and cleaner. The returning GLC Coupe models maintained their exterior look, with a coupe-like roofline that set them apart from the traditional GLC 300. The first-generation interior of the Coupe also aged well, offering some usability advantages over the newer sibling.

The 2023 Ford Escape adopted a more European design language, moving away from the rugged, boxy aesthetic of its predecessors. A 2023 refresh replaced the cartoonish grille with a more traditional front end, featuring the Ford blue oval logo and a stylish LED light bar. The Escape offered various trim levels, including Active, ST-Line, ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite. The ST-Line Elite trim, which we tested, featured 19-inch wheels and body-color mirror caps and wheel-arch cladding, giving it an upscale appearance similar to the Mazda CX-5.

Inside, the ST-Line Elite flaunted diamond-stitched leather upholstery, which, despite its hard and plasticky feel, looked durable. The seats were comfortable and softly padded, making the Escape suitable for long drives. The 10-way power adjustable driver's seat was easy to adjust for a preferred position. However, the interior was dominated by plastic, some of which felt scratchy and poorly reinforced. Despite this, the Escape's brakes offered predictable and linear stopping power, and the soft suspension provided a comfortable ride on rough roads. The steering inputs were well-weighted, avoiding the twitchiness found in some competitors.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class was limited to the GLC 300 trim level, powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. This combination produced 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, delivered through a nine-speed automatic transmission with rear-wheel drive as standard and optional 4Matic all-wheel drive. The GLC 300 accelerated smoothly, reaching 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, which was average for the class. While not as lively as the BMW X3's four-cylinder powertrain, it provided ample power for highway merging and passing.

The brake pedal effort was a bit soft, but the brakes were effective and easy to modulate. The suspension favored comfort over sporty handling, yet the GLC cornered confidently. Future AMG models were expected to offer sportier handling. The GLC 300 delivered a smoother ride than its rivals, with a nearly silent cabin. The returning GLC 4Matic Coupe continued with its older four-cylinder turbo engine, producing 255 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, with a similar 0-60 mph time of 6.2 seconds. The AMG GLC 43 Coupe featured a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6, delivering 385 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque, accelerating to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. Its sport-tuned suspension and exhaust provided a firmer ride and louder engine, appealing to sport-minded drivers.

The 2023 Ford Escape stood out with multiple powertrain options. The base engine was a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder, producing 180 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This engine could be configured with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite trims featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivering 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, exclusively with all-wheel drive. This engine provided better acceleration and high-speed performance.

Despite the four-cylinder's impressive output, the Escape was not a performance crossover. The suspension remained soft and compliant, and the transmission lacked performance tuning, with no paddle shifters or manual shift options. The brakes offered predictable and linear stopping power, and the soft suspension provided a comfortable ride on rough roads. The steering inputs were well-weighted, avoiding the twitchiness found in some competitors.

The GLC's front seats offered ample adjustment for finding a preferred position, with firm cushioning and well-shaped support for long-distance comfort. The synthetic leather upholstery was convincingly grained to resemble genuine hides, with real leather options providing smoother surfaces. The GLC provided sufficient storage, including a large center console bin with a wireless charging pad and cupholders, though the piano black lid attracted dust and fingerprints. There were also well-sized door pockets and another bin under the center armrest.

The GLC offered plenty of space for taller passengers in the front, while the rear seats could accommodate average adults. Headroom was slightly limited for taller occupants, but legroom was abundant. A panoramic sunroof was optional on all GLC 300 trims. The standard GLC had 21.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, which was smaller than some rivals but adequate for most shoppers. The rear seats folded flat to accommodate larger items, dropping at the touch of a button. The GLC Coupe's sloping roofline reduced cargo capacity to 17.6 cubic feet and lowered rear headroom by 1.3 inches.

The Escape offered comfortable and supportive seats with excellent ergonomics. The steering wheel felt great to hold, and the front-door armrests were well-positioned at the same height as the center console's armrest. The front-seat cupholders were conveniently arranged in tandem. The test vehicle featured a head-up display, which was easy to adjust for drivers of different heights.

The Escape fell short of segment leaders in cargo space, offering up to 37.5 cubic feet of storage behind the second row and 65.4 cubic feet with the second row folded. While close in size to the Chevrolet Equinox and Mazda CX-5, it couldn't match the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Rogue, or Toyota RAV4. The Escape was likely large enough for daily use but might feel snug on move-in day. Passenger space was also slightly less than some competitors, but the back seat's headroom was impressive, and the front-seat backs were softly padded and deeply scalloped to maximize space for tall passengers in the back.

The new GLC's interior layout had more visual impact, with an 11.9-inch touchscreen dominating the dashboard. The graphics were sharp, and responses were immediate, but the screen's lower placement made it more distracting to use. The previous generation had a smaller screen mounted on top of the dash, within the driver's sightline, and a trackpad on the center console for easier control. The new GLC retained a tiny capacitive-touch trackpad on the steering wheel, but its sensitivity made it difficult to use consistently. The MBUX infotainment system had excellent voice recognition, though it interrupted music or podcasts.

The new infotainment system performed better but was more distracting due to the layout and lack of physical buttons for audio and climate controls. The older layout and system were still available with the less practical Coupe body style. Standard connectivity included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with an available Burmester 3D Surround Sound system for audio enthusiasts.

The Escape impressed with its Sync 4 technology, featuring attractive and intuitive tech features. Lower trims came with an 8-inch touchscreen, while higher trims, including the ST-Line Elite and Platinum, featured a larger 13.2-inch screen. The 13.2-inch screen upgraded the cabin's look and was well-organized, with individual tiles for navigation, music, and Bluetooth pairing. The native navigation system looked good enough to be mistaken for Google Maps, and a static "Home" button made it easy to navigate between applications.

Sync 4 was a bit slow to respond to inputs, and the volume knob's placement on the far-right side of the stack was inconvenient. However, these minor annoyances were outweighed by the impressive feature set, layout, and ease of use of Sync 4.

Crash-test results for the new 2023 GLC 300 were not yet available from NHTSA or IIHS, but it was expected to achieve strong scores based on Mercedes' history. The previous GLC received a five-star rating from NHTSA and top scores from IIHS, earning a Top Safety Pick designation. Standard safety features for the new GLC 300 included forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, a blind-spot monitor, adaptive headlights with automatic high beams, and a driver attention monitor. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, evasive steering assist, emergency stop assist, a surround-view camera system, and upgraded headlights. The Coupe came standard with cross-traffic alerts and the surround-view camera, with an identical Driver Assistance package to the new GLC.

The 2023 Ford Escape received a five-star overall rating from NHTSA, with five stars in frontal- and side-crash tests and four stars in the rollover test. However, IIHS did not grant the Escape a Top Safety Pick designation, noting a Marginal score in the updated side-impact test. Outside the side-impact test, the Escape received top scores in all other IIHS tests.

Every 2023 Escape came with Ford's Co-Pilot360 suite of advanced driver assistance systems, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high beams. Co-Pilot360 2.0, available as an upgrade, added adaptive cruise control, road sign recognition, lane-centering technology, and a surround-view camera view.